Car-brake



(No Model.)

4 SheetsSl1eet 1. O. W. LANPHBR.-

GAR BRAKE.

No. 386,639. Patented July 24, 1888.

N PETERS Pholvhlhcgraphur, Waihzngiar D. c.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. W. LANPHER.

UAR BRAKE.

No. 386,689. Patented July 24, 1888.

hngnphnr. wmin wn. m c

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. G. W. LANPHER.

GAR BRAKE. No. 386,639. Patented July 24, 1888 VV/ 77/555155 I WAT/777 R N. PETERS Pholzrmhomphnr. Washinglan. n. c

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. O. W. LANPHBR.

GAR BRAKE.

Patented July 24, 1888-.

N. PETERS. Ph/ .rlnhograpbcr. Wnuhington. n c.

of the detail construction thereof.

NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. LANPHER, OF NORWICH, 1 TE\V YORK.

CAR-BRAKE.

\ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 386,639, dated July 24, 1888.

Application filed April 2, 1886. Serial No. 197,594. (No model.) 7

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. LANPHER, of Norwich, in the county of Ghcnango, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Car-Brakes, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,- is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention consists, first, in a novel construction of a continuous draw-bar, which is arranged movable longitudinally on the car and transmits the propelling-power through the entire train of cars without subjecting either car to more strain than is required to move it individually,andsuchstrain is applied to the back end of the car, so as to push instead of pulling'the same, and consequently relieves the carirame in a great measure of torsional strain; and the invention also consists in a novel construction and combination of an automatic brake mechanism actuated by the aforesaid continuous draw-bar, all as hereinafter more fully explained, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2,

- 3, and 4. are vertical longitudinal sect-ions ofmy invention, illustrating various modifications Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section on line w :12, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detachcd'plnn view of my improved continuous drawlmr. Fig. 7 illustrates modifications thereof.

rods of the continuous draw-bar are connected with the draw-heads. Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged detached side and top plan views of the catch which is employed for transmitting motion from the continuous draw-bar to the primary brake-lever, and Fig. 11 is an enlarged detail view of the automatic take-up of the brakerod. Y

Similar letters of reference indicate, corresponding parts.

A A represent the usual longitudinal bottom stringers of the car-frame, and B B denote the transom-beams of the cartrucks, the wheels and axles of which latter are designated by the reference letters I 1.

H H are the draw-heads, which I convert into a continuous draw-bar by means of an intermediate push-bar, G arranged movabl y lon- Fig. 8' is a detached face- ;view of one of the yokes by which the tension gitudiually on the under side of the car-frame and connected with the two draw-heads H H by spring-couplings consisting of brackets d d, rigidly attached to the ends of the block 0,

secured to the under side of the ends of the of the cups facing each other support between the cups a spiral spring. 9. The aforesaid flanges are of such a depth as to cause them to collide with each other when the spring 9 is subjected to maximum compressivestrain by the compression of the draw-head. Said cups thus serve to guard against the breakage of the spring by undue strain.

Across the outer face of each outer cup, e,

a is arranged a-yoke, f, which is formed with an eye, f, (see Fig. 8 of the drawings by which eye the yoke slides on the draw-heads lengthwise the latter, and to opposite ends of saidyoke are attached tension-rods h h, which are extended to the opposite end of the car, and

are connected in a similar manner to the yoke f thereat, as illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The described continuous draw-bar is supported on the usual transom beams, B B, of the car-frame, and is allowed a limited longitudinal movement thereon, the movement being limited by the collision of the rear ends of the blocks 0 of the bar 0 against the adjacent transom-beam B of the car'frame. As the draft is applied to the forward draw-head H, the strain is transmitted to the yoke f on said draw-head by'the coupling of the stalebolt H with the inner cup 0, pressing said cup outward toward the companion cup, which abuts against the yoke f, the intervenihgspring,

9, serving to yieldiugly transmit the pressure to the yoke. From this yoke the draftis transmitted to the yoke f at the rearend of the car by the tension-rods h h, and thereby causes'the latter yoke to'exert a forward pressureon -the rear end of the push-bar O, which pressureis i 35 ings.

also rendered yielding by the spring 9 at said end of the-push-har;

In pushing the puslrbarC forward the front end of the rear block thereofco'llid'es with the adjacent ti-ansombeam l3, and thereby pushes along the car; hence the'car-frame is 'relievcd from the torsional strain incident to the ordi' nary connection of the draw-heads with the car-frame, and the transmission of the motive I0 power to the ear is made doubly'elastie by the two springs g. 1 I

It will also be observed thatthe described continuous draw-bar transmits the motive power through'the entire train of cars without subjecting either our to more strain than is reqnired to move it individually.

Although I consider. the beforedescribed construction of the continuous drawbar the simplest and preferred form, yet I do notlimit 2o myselfto this specitic construction; inasmuch as it admitsof severa nnoditications, as illustratedin Fig. 7 ot'thezm-awings, which modifications are adapted to transmit the motive power to the car from the rear end thereof and under the resistanceoftwo springs, and in that respect possesses the same advantaghs ob tained by the draw-bar shown in Fig. 6 of the ,drawings. In the modified construction of this continuous draw-bar the pnsh-bar G is. 0 dispensed with, and in lieu thereof two tension-rods h' It", are connected to two levers, p

. 19, each of which is pivoted between the connection of the rods h h to the frame of the car', .as shown at 1 in Fig. 7 ot'thedraw- One end of this lever is connected to a strap, 2, which in {turn is connected to the follower'se c, which are mounted loosely on the staleholt of the. dra\v-head.,-H and have the springg interposed between them.

0 The connection of the said 'stra withthe followers is made by longitudina slots in the strap'gthe attaching-boltspassing throughsaid slots and being'fastened to the followers, said slotsfallowing the followers a limited longi- 5 tudin'al movement on the strap. The twofollo'wers Y. e are between 'abutincnts 3 3 on the ear-frame, and are allowed a limited play be tween the same. When the car is pushed by pressure applied to the draw-head, the pressure is transmitted to the rear or inner follower c by the spring y, and-said follow'er is pressed against the adjacent abutmentii. During this movement the strap? is drawn along by-the aforesaid"follower, and thus the' lever p is turned on its pivot and caused to exert a tensile strain 'on' the outer rod, 71/, and this strain tnrns'the lev'e'rp at the opposite end-of the ear, and thereby presses the inner follower c thercat rearward, and this follower crowds the outer companion follower against the adjacent alnitment 23 on the car, and thus a part of the motive power is transmitted to thiseud of the car. \Vhen a draft is'applied to the draw head II, the action of the lovers pp and move- 'by the continuous drawba'r.

m'entof the followers 0 care reversed, and the strain is transmitted from one of said levers to the other lever hythe inner rod, /t', but the A. further modification of the continuous draw-bar is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the draw- I lugs, where the tension-rods hare terminated at and. connected with the inner end of the;

block (1, attached to the puslnhar G. In this case said pnshbar is made to transmit both tensile and compressive strain, according to the direction in which the motive. power is applied to the d raw-heads.

The described continuous d rawbar, together with the momentum of the car under motion. constitutes the prime motor of myiln'proved automatic ear-brake, which consists, essentially, in the combination, with the contin'uons draw-bar arranged yieldingly longitudi 'nally on the car, of brake beams or bars 'snpported niovably vertically and carryingthe brake shoes, a system of co-operating brakeleversconnected with said brake-bars, and the primary brake levers arranged to be actuated The detail con struction of the elements otthis combination and their arrangement in relation to each other-admit of many modifications, as will beeome'apparent by the following descriptions.

'2' 11' represent the hrakebars, to which the brake-shoes z" 'i' are attached in the usual manner. These brake bars I support movahly vertically by various n'ieans.

In Fig. l of the drawings the brake bars and shoes are arranged at diametricallyoppo;

site points of each wheeh and four balance bars or levers, 88s 8, are pivoted at the center of their lengthe-two on either side of the ear to one offthe longitudinal stringers A of the ear-frame, and arranged, respectively, over the four wheels of the oar-truck, and the ends of each-of said levers are slotted, and from the slots are suspended rods m in, to the lower ends cit" which the brake-bars or shoes 2" z" are connected by a loose joint, which allows the said bars to rock on theirlaxis. Theobiect of the slots in the ends of the levers for the reception of the attaching bolt or pin of the rodsm m is to allow said rodsto slide toward and from the endsof the lovers. The rod m, which is connected to the'depressed end of thelever, slides toward the end of the lever, while the min are'of e' ual wei ht and the aforesaid shifting of said rods brings one of the rods farrod on the elevated end of said lever slides to-i ward the center thereof, and sincethe rods end portions of the levers s s and secured to the stringer A, the oscillation of said levers is with the sets of brake-levers at the opposite end of said car byrods his is k, in such a manner as to cause all the brakesboes to be applied to and released from the wheels simut These primary brake-levers are actuated by.

the continuous draw-bar, which is provided with suitable catches, by which it engages the upper ends of the said levers. These catches may be constructed in various ways. In this case they consist of vertically-slotted blocks or shoes n n, attached to the blocks 6 C on opposite ends of the continuous draw-bar. The interior of the shoe ais formed with a serrated or corrugated inclined end or heel, a, and in front of this heel is a gravitating pawl, w, provided with a corresponding serrated inclined end facing the heel n. The pawl w is guided in its movement by a pin projecting from the pawl and through an oblique slot, 12, in the side of the shoe parallel with the heel a".- The upper end of the primary brake-lever 2 projects into the shoe 02, and below the latterisarigid strut, a, which projects from thetruck-frame, and is provided with shoulders or" bearings in front and rear of the lever l. I

The operation of the described mechanism is as follows: Assuming the right-hand end of the car shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings to be the forward end and the car drawn in that direction, it. will be observed that the continuous draw-bar has been moved forward and the block 0 on the rear end of the said'draw-bar is brought to bear on the back of the adjacent transom-beam B, and thereby pushes the car 'ahead, The wheels, revolving in the direction indicated by arrows, have, by frictional contact with the brake shoes 1" i, drawn the front shoe below the axis of the wheel and lifted the rear shoe above said axis, the lever 8 being.

' primary lever-l at the front end of the car is pawl 10 thereat.

carried at i'ts lowest position and clear of the gineis slackeucd and the continuous draw-bar subjected to back-pressure, the momentum of the car causes the primary brake-lever I at the rear end of the car to press against-the pawl 20, and the resistance of this pawl received from the retarded continuous draw-barabtu- -of the car, or until the caris stopped.

. from the pawl w.

it, then, the speed of the euates the primary brake-lever I, so as to apply the brake with a force in accordance with the momentum of the car to be overcome.

The braking force is transmitted through the brake'rods k k k, 820., through the entire system of. brakelevers and to the forward primary brake-lever l, which latter is held at its upper end by the shut u, and this braking force will remain applied so long as the continuous drawbar has to resist the momentum Then by a forward movement of the continuous draw-bar the rear. primary brake-lever l is released from the pressure of the pawl 1b, and thusthe entire system of brake-levers is relieved from braking force, and the car is free to be drawn ahead or pushed back.

In backing the car the friction of the shoe on the treads of the wheels causes the brakebars t i to follow the movement of the wheels suificiently to-draw down the rear lever 1 free The primary lever l at the opposite end of the car is at the same time raised to a position to encounter the pawl w thereat; but the first forward impulse of the car causes the brake-shoes to obtain sufiicient hold on the wheels to draw down the forward primary brake-lover, so as to clear the pawl w and allow the continuous draw-bar to be draw u forward without applying braking force to the brake-levers, and the brakes will remain dormant until the continuous draw-bar receives back-pressure by the slackening ot" the speed of the motor and resistance of the momentum of the car. The rear brakelevcr I, having been thrown in position back of the pawl to during the first forward impulse, receives the back-pressure of the retarded continuo us d raw-bar,andconsequently applies the brakes.

The object of the pawl w is to insure its eugagement with the primary brake lever lin case the continuous draw-bar is moved only part way forwardon the car. In such a case the said lever I will strike the bottom of the pawl 20 and shove it up obliquely until itslips off from the end of thelever and drops in front of it. normal position as the continuousdr'awbar is drawn forward.

The serrated or corrugated faces of the pawl and adjacent heel of the shoe n, hereinbefore described, serve to prevent the pawl from sliding upward, while receiving thepressure of the lever l in a horizontal direction. In the modification illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the continuous draw-bar system is of the same construction and has the same action as that shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings; but in this case the brake system is applied between the wheels of each truck only, and the balance bars or levers s s are pivoted on brackets secured to one of the transom-beams, B,.of the The pawl subsequently settles to its truck-frame, and from these levers thcbrakc bars 1' i are suspended by the rods m m.

limited by the collision of the oscillating ends sons to produce a back-pressure on the continnous draw-bar, said draw-baryields' and causes the pawl to press against the upper end of theprimary;brake-lever, and this applies the brakes wit-haforce varying accord "ing to the momentum of the car and-baok pressare on the eoirtitiuonsdrawhar. A forward mowzinof said draw hh r relieves the lever I, from the pressure of the'pawl wand consequently the braking i'orec removed from the entire brake system. iuease the car is pushed back instead oi: being moved forward after-its speed has been retarded or completely stopped, then the first rearward movement of the wheels draws down the rear lever l, and thus i allows the continuous draw-bar free rearward movement without aeinatingihe brake-lever. At the same time the leverv I at the opposite 'end oi the car has been raised and brought into position to lie-actuated by the pawl v in I I Case a forward pressure is applied to the con )7 tinuous draw-bar 'to check the rearward movement of the ear, in whichcase thepr ssnre oi the pawl won the forwardh-ver'l applies thebrakes; henee itwill be observed that the brake action in thisrase is substantially. the

-oi' the short lovers [1, l.

same as in the arrangement shown in Fig. IV

of the drawing.

In Fig. 3oftl1edra'wi ngs the brake-lizu'siiare suspended from a, stationary support, and the brake-shoes are made movable vertically by attachingthem to the ends of the shortleversl, .which arepivoted neat-their centers to each end of thebrake-beamsii. "Io thesameendsof the lovers 1/ are connected the brakc-leversl I, the upper ends oi' which reach to the sidofot the continuous draw-bar, and on the latter is pivoted a lever, is, having the pivot at thecentor and formed at its. ends with hooks or offsets,- by Whiehit is adapted to engage the upper ends df the-lever's l i. The-ends of the lover s areeonneeted to two rods m m, the lower ends of which are connected to the inner ends \Vh'on the Mr is moving forward or to the right by a force applied to the o'ontinnons;drauv-bmfi said draw-bur is moved its limited distance on the car in the same'direction, and the Willi'ifl,i'QVOii/illg in the direction indicated byhrrowsinthe drawings', cause the brake-shoes to tilt the lovers into a forwardly-inclinod position hy menns of the rods in mf, and thus the "hoolt on the forward end of the levm' ,s is hronght in front oi the upper end of the 'lorwztrd brake-lever I. if, then, a back ward pressnro' is exerted on the seams lever a presses the upper end of the forward brakedever Z rearward, and this rearward-{1 continuous draw-bar, the aforesaid hook of the movement of "said lever is transmitted to the other brake lever l. The n pper end ofthe latter,

being held by the strut u, causes the strain to be transmitted to thelow'erends of the two the caroomes to a stop and is then hacliedythe' brake-levers, and thus appliesj th'el brake. 'If'- friction of-the wheels against-the b'rhke-shoes causes the forward brake-levento';bedrawn down-and out of engagement with thelever s, and thus the'hrake's are relieved from'the braking force, and backward;

it instead ofcoznpletely stoppingftho' ear in its forwardmovement it receives only atemporary'eheck, and is subsequently propelled by a, force applied to-the'drmvbnr, it is obvious the 'car is free to he moved N that the forwi'n'd moron-lent oithc' said draw forward brake-lever [from the pressure. of the pawl v, and ('(lllSOtllHlil'ih' the. move forward. I 3 v r Fig. 4 iuprcsents a. further ltlfidiiicttiiiflll of my improve-d automatic .brnkosystem.

, the em-l'rmne, as rtn'esonlril by dotted lines in the aforesaid figure oi the drawings. The upright arms of the aforesaid boll rmnk leversand thus the brake bjars i i are mirr-ied tnovably vertically in a vsnspended position, andas oue'oi' said bars rises the other descends, said movement being limited by stops 0 o", secured cnoonntereiLhy the bellcrank lo\ 'ers,and thus time. The bell-cranks referred tour-e ot'a peculiar construction.

two arms ol the' bel l crank is considerably less car is free to are connected with each other hyh rod, o',

The angle between the" bar independent of the car also relieves the L 'lh'oactioiiof'thooontinuonsdraw-liaris sub 1 siantially the some as horoinbet'oro described. The constrnctiondil'i'ors slightly in that [have reeni'orced thointernietlinto push-bar, by

i and hrakeshoes on.ihc outside of the four truolewheols. ,The bars z'ji, with their shoes i 2 arc-suspended at both sithsoi' the car by rods m m? from t.he -o.utcr arms of bell-crank. levorso 0, pivoied'on one o i'ihe stringers ot' arrest the movement thereof at the proper.

than ninety degrees, and the connection of the bell-cranks is such that when one armis'in'a' vertical position the otherarm has not reached ahorizontal position. lherofore,when the vertical arm has moved to an inclincd'position,

the inclination; and thus the brake bars,shoes,

the twoara nsot' the boll-crank give an over balancing weight in favor of the direction of l 20/ to the cat stringer in such positions as to be,

"drawn-forward on the car, and the rear block and re-enforcing bar 0 ofsaid draw-bar are Fig.1 of the drawings; but in lieu of the gravi- ;-central portion of the bar 12. When the caris 'come to a stop and then be pushed back by &c., are held in their position by gravity of the bell-cranks. The action of the brake system in this figure is similar to that shown in tating pawl in the shoe attached to the continuous draw-bar I employ a push-bar, 1), connected to the upper end of the primary brakelever Z, said push-bar having on its free end a toggle or pawl, o',-connectcd therewith by a knuckle-joint, and this pawl o rests upon and against a lug, o'fl-iittachcd to the block 0' of the continuous draw-bar. The central portion of the push-barn lies between two plates, 5 5, secured to the car-frame, and these plates are provided with triangular slots 6,into which project pins 4, secured to opposite sides of the drawn ahead, the continuous draw-bar is brought to bear. againstthe .rear sides of the adjacent transom-beamsB B of the car-frame, and thus the propelling-power is applied. to both ends of the car and shoves the same ahead. The frictional contact of the brakeshoes with the revolving wheels draws down the front brake-beam, z, and brake-lever I, connected therewith, and at the same time raises the rear brake beam and lever until an rested by collision of the bell-crank lever 0 with the stop 0'. The continuous draw-bar, being in its extreme forward position, allows the knuckle-jointed pawl 12 to fall in line with the bar 11, and is so sustained by the knucklejoint,while the pawl 11 at the opposite or forward end of the car has been been tripped into a vertical position by the downward movement of the primarybrakelever lthereat. If, then, a back-pressure is applied to the continuous draw-bar,themomenturn of the car causes thelngvon therearendofthe continuousdrawbar to exert a rearward pressure on the upper end'of the brake lever by the medium of the pawl 22' abutting against the. lug o, and this rearward pressure on the lever Z sets the brakes, the braking force being transmitted through the rods k k k to the forward brakelever Z, where it is resisted by the abutment of the pins 4 of the bar 0 against the inner end of the slots 6 in the plate 5. If the car should power applied to the continuous draw-bar,the reverse movement of the wheels will draw down the primary brakedever by the frictional hold of the brake-shoes on the wheels, and the pawl o is therebytripped to liberate the said brake-lever from the pressure of the log 12, and the continuous drawbar can then freely'yield to the back-pressure and slide to its extreme rearward position on the car, so as to bring the re enforeing bar and forward block 0 of the continuous drawbar to bear against the transom-beams B B, and thereby push the car rearward.

F represents my improved automatic takeup for maintaining the brake-rods ata proper tension. Said take-up consists in forming the long brakc rod K of two separate rods having connected to their adjacent ends longitudinal extensions K K, which are formed with racks 7 on their adjacent sides, and with ratchcts 8 on their outer sides, as shown in Fig.11 of the drawings, and across opposite sides of said rodextensions K K are placed straps 9, between which and said extensions is a pinion, 10, pivoted on the straps and meshing in the racks 7. A coil-spring, 11, attached at one end to the axle of the pinion and at the opposite end to one of the straps 9, actuatcs the pinions to draw the rods K K toward each other by means of the racks 7. To the ends of the straps are pivoted serrated pawls 12, which engage the ratchcts 8 8 of the rod-extensions K K. The spring-actuated pinion takes up the slack of the rods, and the pawls 12 retain the rods at their adjusted tension.

Having described my,invention,what1claim as new, and desire to securebyLettcrs Patent,

1. The combination,with a'car, of a continuous draw-bar consisting of two draw-heads, respectively at opposite ends of the car and movable longitudinally on the car, an intermediate push-bar arranged movably longitudinally on the car, spring-couplings between the ends of said push-bar and draw-heads, yokes on said spring-couplings to receive the pressure thereof, and tcnsion-rods connecting said yokes.

2. In combination with the longitudinal push-bar and draw-heads movably connected therewith, springs interposed between said parts and cupshaped spring-seats having flanges surrounding the springs and of a depth to limit the compression of the springs by the free edges of said flanges brought to a hearing by the compression of the draw-heads, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the push-bar C, brackets d 11, having longitudinal sockets d, the

draw-heads H, having their stale-bolts H in said sockets, cups e e on the stale-bolts in front of the brackets, springs g g in said cups, the yokes f f, connected loosely with the drawheads at the outside of the springsupportingcups, and tension-rods h h, connecting said yokes with each other, substantially as described and shown.

4. In combination with the car frame and trucks, a continuous draw-bar arranged mov-' ably longitudinally on said frame, springs for resisting the movement of said draw-bar toward either end of the car, levers pivoted on the car-frame, brake-bars arranged at diametrically-opposite points of the wheel-treads and suspended from the aforesaid levers at opposite sides of the fulcrnms thereof, a system of co-operating brake-levers connected with the brake-bars, catches on the drawhar, and the primary brake-levers adapted to engage the said catches, all combinedto operate substantially as deseribedand shown.

5. In combinationwith the brake-levers, rods connected at one end to said levers, and

'6 i I v v i 7 386,639-

ranged movahly vertically, a system of (Bo-0pprovided at their adjacent opposite ends with longitudinal racks on their adjacent sides and with ratehets on their outer sides, straps across opposite sides of said ends ofthe rods, a pinion interposed between the racks and pivoted on the straps, a spring for actuating the pinion in one direction, and pawls pivoted on the straps and engaging the ratchets, substantially asdescrihed'and shown.

6. In coinhi nation with the continuous drawbar arranged nimaby longitudinally on the ear, brake-bars carryingbrake-shoes and ar' crating iHtLhO-iflVOl'S connected with the brakehars, shoes nu, connected to the continuous d raw-bar and provided with serrated inclined heels n, thegravitating pawls w-i-n said shoes and provided with corresponding serratedtinelined ends engaging the heels n", the-primary brake-levers Z I, having their upper ends sliding in the shoes 12 n and bearing on the pawle w, and the struts u u, provided with hearings for the levers ll in front andrear' thereof, substantially as described and'shown.

7. The combinatio n vith the car franie, con- 25 tinuous draw-bar, truck, brakebars, and 'primary brake lever Z, of the push-ber 12, attached to the upper end of said lever, the pawl c, 1

connected with the 'push-bar'bya k'ui eklejoi'nt, and the lug '0, attached to tlie'eontinn- 0 cos d raw bar, substantially asdescrihed and shower V In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name and affixed my seal, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Norwich, iifthe 35 'oounty of Ohenango, in the State of New York, this 26th-day of March, 1886.

7 CHARLES W- Lik-NPHER. e1

Witnesses; i

0. H. KNAPP, H OWEN; 

